Indicating device



Dec. 26, 1950 G. G. ALLENBAUGH 2,535,326

INDICATING DEVICE Filed April 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 26, 1950 G. 5. ALLENBAUGH 2,535,326

INDICATING DEVICE Filed April 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Dec. 26, 1950 Filed April 5, 1946 G. G. ALLENBAUGH INDICATING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

MIi

Dec. 26, 1950 G. G. ALLENBAUGH INDICATING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 5, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

Dec. 26, 1950 G. G. ALLENBAUGH INDICATING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 5, 1946 INVENTOR.

Dec. 26, 1950 G. G. ALLENBAUGH 2,535,826

INDICATING DEVICE Filed April 5, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

INDIGATING DEVICE Application April 5, 1946, Serial No. 659,686

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to indicating devices, and it has especial reference to a device for indicating the feed of machine tools, particularly such tools as are fed by means not directly responsive to the operation of the machine wi'h which they are associated, for example by pressure actuated means such as an hydrauliccylinder.

Inasmuch as in any hydraulic system employed for the feeding of machine tools where oil under pressure is circulated as a power medium, and is'subject to variations in temperature, and hence in viscosity and flow characteristics; some means must be provided to insure a predetermined con stant rate of feed of the cutting tools regardless of changes in flow characteristicsof the pressure oil. The rate of feed, whereby the quality of the work and the cutting time are measured, may be controlled by a needle valve which will pass a given volume of oil at a given temperature (say approximately 120 F.) into the power cylinder. After a lapse (say over night )inoperaion of the apparatus it usually takes several hours of operation for the oil to reach. its peak operating temperature, and during this warming-up period the needle valve must be adjusted from time to time to maintain a substantially constant rate of feed of the tools. The setting of. the valve during this period of adiustment may beread upon a scale associated with the valve as indicated by a pointer or hand turning with the valve stem.

For example, this scale may read a quarter segment from 0 to 90, with 22as the op imum setting of the valve. With oilat 80F. (say after over night lapse) the setting would be "45 to give an appropriate yredeterminedrate of tool r feed, whereas with the oil temperature at 120 F. (following the warm-up period, and for normal operation) the same rate of feed will be maintained with the setting of 22.

The feed indicator of the inven ion is designed to be associated with the tool feeding mechanism of the machine insuch a manner that the feed'of the tool'in relation to a predetermined factor such as a number'of revolutions of the workpiece; a time interval, orthe like. maybe determined at any time duringoperation ofthe machine, so thatJthe needlevalve'may be properly adjusted, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed;

In 1 the accompanying drawings illustrating the 0 invention. in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

Fig. 1 is, a plan view illustrating? the: application1of the indicating device ofthe invention tog-afacing; machine, substantially as disclosed in.

my copending application for patent for Machining Apparatus, filed Feb. 5, 1946, Serial No. 645,638,

Fig. 2 is afaceview' of the dial and indicating hand of the fluid control valve,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation, with parts in section, of the rear end of the tool carriage of the machine il ustrated in Fig. 1, showing the operative association therewith of the feed indicating device,

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional side elevation of the flexible connection between the tool carriage and the actuating rod of thefeed indicator,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the feed indicator and associated operating mechanism, the operating rod being shown in section,

Fig. 6 is a enlarg d sectional side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is an enlarged front view of the feed indicator with the dial; hands and bezel removed to disclose the operating mechanism,

Fig. 8-is a fragmentary side e evation of parts of the feed indicator operating mechanism viewed from the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 isa schematic fragmentary plan View illustrating an embodiment of semi-automatic control means for the indicator, and

Fig. 10 is a schematic fragmentary elevational view showing another embodiment of semi-automa'ic control'means for the indicator.

In Figs. 1 to 4, wherein the indicating device is shown associated with the tool feeding mechanism of a facing machine of more or less lathe type modified for feeding of the tools by hydraulic pressure operated mechanism substantially inaccordance with the inven ion of my copending application hereinbefore referred to, there is disclo ed an embodiment which will suflice to illustrate generallv the mode of anpli ation and operation of the device of the invention. It will be unders'ood, however, that the device is capable of association with many other kinds of machine tools.

Obviously, the rate" of feed of the tools will be adjusted in accordance withthenature and fineness of the final product desiredand hencewill depend'upon the kind of material machined, the cutting ability of the tools and, in cases where the work is rotated or otherwise moved withrespect to-thetoola as inthe case of a lathe-like machine, milling machine or planer, p the speedof movement of the work.-

In the machine of Figs. 1 to 4 the work is .meanied 1 1 011 the centers of the spindles land 2 rotated in the head stock 3 and tall stock 4 by appropriate drive mechanism through a shaft 5 the speed of which is governed by a conventional transmission mechanism 5. A lateral extension 1 of the machine bed 3 carries the tool carriage 5 fed to the Work, and retracted, by the piston rod ll] of an hydraulic cylinder H which receives oil through pipes 52 and 53 at its forward and rearward ends, respectively, from a pump it under the control of a fine feed valve i5 and a rapid approach valve 25. The oil is drawn by the pump M from a storage tank i'l through a pipe 58, and is returned thereto upon exhaust from the cylinder H at pipes i2 and I3 under control of the fine feed valve l5 through a pipe it.

The fine feed and rapid approach valves l5 and I5, respectively, are manipulated by pushpull rods 25 and 2! connected with operating handle members 22 and respectively, and the rate of flow of the oil from the fine feed valve l5 to the rear end of the cylinder l i may be regulated, and the rate of forward (to the work) feed of the tool carriage, and hence of the tools, controlled by a needle valve 24, already mentioned, the stem of which is fitted for rotation by a shaft 25 provided with a handle 25.

Preferably fixed upon the body of the needle valve 24 is the dial 27, hereinbefore referred to, with which the pointe or hand 23 turning with the valve stem is operatively associated (see Figs. 1 and 2).

By these means it will be apparent that the operator standing at position may cause the tool carriage and its tools to feed to the work in fine feed at any desired rate under the control of the fine feed valve i and needle valve 24, or may be rapidly advanced to cutting position under the control of the rapid approach valve 15, and that its retraction upon completion of the cut may be readily accomplished.

As hereinbefore pointed out, the indicating device of the invention will serve, upon its occasional operation, to apprise the operator of the amount of forward feed of the tool carriage in relation to a predetermined factor such as a number of rotations of the work piece, so that he may appropriately adjust the setting of the needle valve 24.

This indicating device (Figs. 1 and 3 to 8) includes, as main units, an indicator gauge 29 and operating mechanism therefor includinga cam device 33 and an actuating solenoid 3!, all of which are provided with mechanism whereby feeding movement of the tool carriage 9 is indicated upon the gauge 29 in thousandths of inches, and the reading thus obtained may be correlated by the operato in terms of number of revolutions of the machine spindles, 15 on the gauge indicating .015" an so on up to .300". Of course, any other desired scale designations may be employed as desired.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, it Will be seen that the cam device 33 is arranged above a somewhat flexible actuating rod 32 connected with the rear end of the tool carriage 8 by a loosely threaded connection 33 (Fig. 4) backed up by a compression spring- 34, thus allowing for a certain amount of relative lateral movement while preventing any relative axial movement between the carriage and rod.

In periods of rest the length of the rod 32 is supported in an eccentric bearing member 35 pinned to a pivot shaft having a rotative bearing in the frame of the indicator and provided with an adjustably clamped lever arm 35. The rod is thus supported during such rest periods out of driving contact with the cam device 30, but when it is desired to take readings the starter button 31 of the control switch 38 (Fig. l) is depressed to energize the solenoid 3| which, through the bar 39 and lever arm 36 raises the bearing member 35 against the actuating rod 32 and forces the rod into frictional engagement with the cam device 30 suflicient, when the tool carriage is feeding, to cause rotation of the cam device. A damper spring 40 is provided, and the extent of opening travel of the solenoid core is limited by cans of an adjustable spring-pressed stop plunger 4|.

Having reference particularly to Figs. 5 to 8, it will be seen that the step 42 of the cam device 30 bears against the lower end of a plunger pin 43 the upper end of which engages the lug of a lever 4e normally in face-to-face frictional engagement with a lever 45 under the influence of a spring-pressed roller 46. The lever 45 is connected through a link 4'! with one end of a substantially centrally pivoted lever 48 the other end 49 of which is provided with a segmented gear 50 meshing with the pinion 5! on the arbor of the indicator hand 52. A hair spring 53 normally acts to bias the indicator hand 52 to position against an appropriate stop 54.

In operation, when the cam device 30 is caused to rotate by movement of the rod 32 in response to feed of the tool carriage, the ste 42 will cause the plunger pin 43 to rise carrying with it the lever 45 which, in turn, by frictional engagement, moves with it the lever 45 to cause rotation of the indicator hand 52 through the link 41 and lever-actuated gearing 50, 5!.

After a reading has been taken, in a manner later to be explained, the parts may be reset to the inoperative position shown by depressing the stop button 55 of the control switch 38 which will de-energize the solenoid 3i and permit the lever 39 to drop against its stop 4!, and, thereafter, in order to reset the indicator hand 52 to its zero position, the reset button 56 of the switch 38 is depressed to energize a solenoid 51 at the back of the indicator gauge 29, so that the core 51' of this solenoid will press against one end of a trip pin 58 and shift the pin axially with the result that its other end will press the roller 46 away from lever 45 and thereby release the frictional engagement of this lever with the lever 44. whereupon the levers 44 and 45 will be returned to normal, at rest, position under the influence of their respective return springs 59 and 60, the indicator hand 52 meanwhile being returned against the stop 54 by the action of the gearing 50, 51 and the hair spring 53. It will be noted that the levers 4-! and 45 are provided with mating apertures 5! and 52, respectively, for passage therethrough of the trip pin 58. A spring 63 (Fig. 6) normally holds the trip pin out of engagement with the roller 45 and in operative relation with respect to the core 5'! of the solenoid 51.

When, during operation of the machine, the operator wishes to check the rate of feed of the tool carriage, he first presses the stop button 55 of the control switch 38 to make sure that the solenoid 3| is de-energized. Then, with the centers of the spindles I and 2 of the machine loaded with a piece to be machined and runn'ng in fine feed by appropriate setting of the control handle member 22 of the feed control valve [5, he presses the reset button 56 of the control switch 38 to insure that the indicator hand 52 is against the zzsto-p '154--and;the;;othen partswofthe indicator {gauge .;ber =.35,;-and thereafteragain-presses the reset button i-56 and "holds i it until the apiece rotating with the. machine spindles I {and 2; reaches :some arbitrary; point easilyinoted, :Whereupon? thelreset button) is immediately released. During-this actuation of the reset button i the .function of ithe frictional idriving engagement of-;.the devers 44 and15zbecomesfiefiective, If the step-14,2 were permitted i to strike ithe pin;- 43 with $118 ilevers Aland-45in frictional driving-engagementunder the influence: of the spring pressed roller 46, =,a sudden jolt would be rimparted to lthe lever 4.5 and :to .;.the, indicator hand 52, and zangincorrect read ng would result. But when,+under.-the influ- 'BIICBCIOT 'onerati-onzofi'the reset button, sthe 17101181 346 .:is :released from. :andcthen restoredetogcontact With the; leverr45, ithiS, lever willrbei sm'oothiy engaged by T' the :1ev.er:44 rand :therreading .rtaken will be'wa'ccurate. v.JOn completion.often revolutions of the centersthe stop button 55 is pressed.

:Obviously, rthe amount ,.of travel rof t'the .tool carriage :which has :taken place :during the ten revolutions of rthe work piece uvill :be indicated by ithe I indicatorihand :52, and ithe sop orator scan 1 isionrcan determine the ;,distance.-travel1ed during :one rotation of therwork. piece.

The rotative bearingifi i of ,thexcamgdevice fifl is adjustably; mounted: in za slot 565 of its shearing bracketfififi gsorthat it, maybe shiftedstoi'hring any desired effective area .of its ;=step :42 ;intosoper-ative engagement with the T plunger pin 452, thus making possible calibratnnwof the mechanism ito give a direct dial :reading s-in :tirousandths of an inch,of=.tool travel.

.In vchecking the rate of :tool :ifzeedesupposing that :the operator desres to -;feed 1 at rthe :rate of 7.007 men-revolution of the vine-chine spindles, he will set the pilot hand 61 (Figsxdcand ifi) :of'zthe gaugeilil :at "179. onithe (dial scale, and then when he takes a reading, in the manner just described, ten revolutionsiof the sp ndles should cause the indicator hand tEZ-to register at 70 with the pilot hand 61. If the indicatorhand goes-beyond or falls short of 70, the needlevalve 24 will be closed or openedmore accordingly.

During the warmng-upwperiod, hereinbefore z'referred ito, readings relative to the :tool Ifeed :can beta-ken frequently .and'the. needle valve .24 adjusted-tokeep the tools. feeding .correctlywithin treasonably close limits.

.It will be. understood that the @pressure for lithe xrollers ifi against the levers? ,zand 45 serves-.not only to providesdriving.frictional engagement between these levers'but will'hold them against the mounting plate of the-gauge Inechanism with 'sufficient friction-tomaintain-anyread ng of the indicator hand 52 until the reset mechanism is operated, the return springs 59 and 60 being merely of a strength thereafter to return the parts to normal position.

In hereinbefore referring to the counting of ten revolutions of the machine Spindles I and 2 during operation of the indicator mechanism to take a reading relative to the tool feed, visual counting of the revolutions is intended, and this ismossi-ble in the soasekof imachines whereithe lOilfltiQHiOlnOthGI movement impartedstothetwork during ithe machining'roperation iswslow enough .to rhe z'readi ly observed. :However, where". such rotation or other movement; isitoorapid; for visual iobservationssomeqmechanicali or electrical means mayrbe resorted to rfor ;;.determining the ;.periods ;of.::actuationz:of :the; indicating; device. inresponse to :movement of the work, and electrical means may :be includediinasuch. arrangement fOI'-:6I1G!- :gizingeand:de-energizing ,the actuating. means of the indicating ,device responsive [to the :periods ithusi determined.

In R' ig- 9*;such aa-n rarrangement -is shown ili-n combination )With; parts of a :machine similarito that shownlin :Fig. i1, -but;in which itimay be assumed r-thflt the a speed of -.rotation of the spin- ,dlesl and ;2 is too; rapid (for visual counting. vAs showmzconsidering that theispindles are rotating, it will; be & assumed that when *the. starter-button 31 of the switch 38 is pressed the driverroller-slifl ,ofrairotation :counter -69 is;pref,erab1yautomaticailygbroughtintoi driven: engagement 1 (by means "not eshowm with-agpart of .the rotating spindle.

The scale 10.01 th s-x-rotation counter ,may :be divided to show full rotations and fractionsthereof r from ito anylappropriate "number; and, an arcuate gplate contact :member *H willcbe :so mounted -uthat a combined indicator hand :and contact member 72 may be adjusted hype. ,turn button J2 utO: any desired point on the scale ide- .pend"ng upon the :number of rotations of the spindles I to be counted 2 prior to. tie-energizin the indicating device,-s say ten revolutions :as hereinbefore --explained ,as proper for use of the;scale .onltheedial of =the indicator g-augeiof "Fig. 5.

The combined indicator hand and 'contact member J2 andathe aarcuate contact plate l I -.are shown asiin circuit with the step' louttonrfiwf the switch, and the hand -1-2.,is driven counter-- clockwise by the mechan sm ofithexotationeoun- *ter. ,Heneeafterradjustment-of the-hand 12,.and

pressing the estarter button .56, the --solenoid :3] which controls operationrof the-indicati-ng device will i remain sener-gzedruntil the hand :12 runsi-off :of .the ,.-.contact plate .H, .therebyi breaking :the ,circuit.

In other types pflmachinetools-with which the indicating device. :may ibe associated, where it-he work is :held ,station-ary and the tools .are advanced to i the work, such as a edlill press, other .kindsof mechanical-or elect-ricer devices: maybe employed :ifor determining the ,interval during ,which the indicatingdevieewwill be. .energized1for .takingareading relative'to the:tool:feed. Obvinusly,-. inf the-association -,of the; indicatingdevice with ;-such -a machine -.toolthe rate .101 1001 feed must= Joe-measured in-a ratio cf: distance i to-time rather than of distanceto. movement ohthe-work last,- described.

Fig. 10 ShOrW'SrE-ZT arrangementabasedupon this ratio of -distance "130 :time :in which athe machine tool; isila multiple {spindle-drill gpress ithertool :carrying spindiesheadt'w ofzwhich..advianceslthertodls, drills 7.4, do athe #wcrk :fixedly, mounted. upon the In circuit with the stop button of the switch 38, which controls the operation of the indicating device, is a timing device 15 the dial of which may be divided to show seconds and fractions thereof, and on this dial is mounted an arcuate contact plate 16 over which rides a combined indicator hand and contact member 11 capable of being adjusted with relation to the dial by a turn button 11'. This hand 11 is rotated counter-clockwise by the mechanism of the timing device 75 and is adapted in a manner similar to that of the corresponding parts (I and 12 of Fig. 9 to open the circuit of the stop button 55 through the solenoid 3 l.

' 'The indicator gauge 29 and the relatively fixed parts associated therewith, including the solenoid 3| may be conveniently mounted upon the stand 78 of the drill press, and the rod 32 is connected to the spindle head 13 for movement therewith.

By this arrangement it will be apparent that the distance travelled by the spindle head in a predetermined time interval as determined by the setting of the hand Ti, as the drills are fed to the work, will be indicated upon the dial of the indicator gauge 29, it being understood, of course, that feeding movement of the head 13, and counter-clockwise travel of the indicator hand ll from a selected time point on the contact plate 76 of the dial of the timing device 15, are started simultaneously.

If desired, automatic means in circuit with the starter and reset buttons 31 and 56, respectively, of the switch 38, may be employed for controlling the starting and resetting movements of the indicator hand ll.

An arrangement similar to that of Fig. may be employed in association with the travelling work-carrying beds of milling machines and planers.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the indicating device of the invention will function to enable the operator to determine the rate of feed between the tools and the work, no matter which is fed, with relation to a work-progress factor, whether such factor be a number of rotations or the like, or a time interval.

' Various changes and modifications are considered to be within the principle of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device to indicate the cutting progress of the tool means of a machine tool as determined by the relative feeding movement between the tool means and a work piece, including an indicator gauge and gauge actuating means one of which is movable relatively to the other in response to relative movement of the work piece and tool means, said gauge being provided with an indicator hand and operating mechanism therefor including oscillatable lever means, reciprocable means for imparting oscillating movement to said lever means, a rotative member having a cam step for engagement with said reciprocable means, said gauge actuating means including means for imparting rotation to said rotative member in response to the said relative movement of the work piece and tool means, and manually operable means for establishing and releasing engagement between said rotative member and said rotation imparting means duringrelativc movement of the work piece and tool means, said manually operable means including lever means normally supporting said rotation imparting means out of contact with said rotative member, and means for moving said lever means to establish rotation imparting engagement of said rotative member and said rotation imparting means.

2. A device for indicating the cutting progress of the tool means of a machine tool as determined by the relative feeding movement between said tool means and a work piece, including an indicator gauge having a dial and an indicator hand for movement over said dial, an actuating rod longitudinally movable with respect to said gauge in response to said relative feeding movement, means for imparting movement to said hand in response to movement of said rod including a pair of levers one of which is normally in frictionally driven engagement with the other, a reciprocative member in operative association with said other lever, a rotative member having a cam step operatively engaging said reciprocative member for imparting reciprocative movement thereto and to said lever members under the influence of said rotative member, means for normally supporting said rod out of engagement with said rotative member, and means for causing said supporting means to engage said rod with said rotative member during said relative movement.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which means are provided for normally holding said levers in frictionally driven engagement, and manually operable control means for the holding means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which means are provided for normally holding said levers in frictionally driven engagement, said levers being provided also with spring return means, and means operable manually to release sald frictionally driven engagement and permit operation of said spring return means.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the frictionally driven lever is operatively connected with said indicator hand and is engaged by pressure imparting means for holding it in frictionally driven engagement with the other lever, manually operable means for releasing said pressure imparting means, and means manually operable to actuate the means for causing engaging and disengaging movement of said rod and rotative means.

GEORGE G. ALLENBAUGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,015,305 Fentzloff Jan. 23, 1912 1,157,800 Oslund Oct. 26, 1915 1,390,432 Douglass Sept. 13, 1921 2,018,217 McNamee Oct. 22, 1935 2,209,584 Somerville July 30, 1940 2,406,793 Benkoe Sept. 3, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 62,235 Denmark May 8, 1944 

